Stopped believing in natural pest repellents after what I saw in my own kitchen

I used to swear by peppermint oil for keeping spiders away. Read about it on some blogs, bought the expensive stuff, and misted every corner of my house for about 3 months. Then I found a massive wolf spider just chilling right next to the bottle on my counter. That was 2 years ago and I switched back to caulking cracks and using sticky traps near baseboards. Has anyone else had a home remedy fail them after they really believed in it?

3 comments

3 Comments

william_garcia1mo ago

Massive wolf spider just chilling right next to the bottle" lmao that's rough but honestly did you really think some oil drops were gonna stop nature? Spiders don't care about that stuff they just walk wherever they want.

the_wendy1mo ago

Man I read somewhere that peppermint oil actually attracts some spiders instead of repelling them because of a compound in it that mimics their prey. Totally messed with my head because I had been doing the same thing for months thinking I was clever. That wolf spider probably thought you set up a nice feeding station for it right there on the counter. I heard this from a guy who worked at a pest control place he said most home remedies just mask smells or make the area seem more interesting to bugs. Its like the time I tried putting dryer sheets in my toolbox to keep mice out they just shredded them up for nesting material. Nature always wins in the end you know.

wesley_jones1mo ago

Oh man, do I have a story for you. I spent all last summer putting cucumber slices around my sink because I read roaches hate the smell. Thought I was a genius, even had my neighbor laughing at me while I was placing them. Then I woke up one night to get water and saw a roach standing right on a slice, nibbling on it like it was a gourmet meal. That was the moment I realized I was just decorating my kitchen for bugs. Really makes you wonder if those blog writers even tested this stuff themselves or just copied it from each other.